


Fireworks

by maddymayscrawls



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Established Relationship, fireworks date, it's cheesy y'all
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-05
Updated: 2018-07-05
Packaged: 2019-06-05 15:17:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,669
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15173513
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/maddymayscrawls/pseuds/maddymayscrawls
Summary: "Kissing has always been one of the nicest--and one of the most economical--ways to spend an evening."--The Salt Lake Tribune, Utah, September 10, 1950.





	Fireworks

**Author's Note:**

> A birthday present for Laithen on Tumblr. They once mentioned wanting Lance and Keith to get so lost in their kissing that they miss the fireworks....

The best dates are the ones that don’t take a lot of effort. A simple night watching a movie at home, a walk along the beach with a couple of ice cream cones, going for a drive with no specific destination. These are the types of dates that serve to bring you closer to the person you love. Free of all the superficial, money gobbling expectations of what a worthy date is, two people can simply enjoy being near each other.

Unfortunately for Keith, he was dating the kind of person who couldn’t get enough of superficial Hallmark movie crap. Lance planned dates to five star restaurants where all they could afford was one appetizer to share, just for the experience. He would take Keith to crowded places like amusement parks and concerts because they were “the perfect place for a date!” And Keith couldn’t count the amount of dead flowers he had thrown out because, “That’s just what you do. You give your date flowers!”

He appreciated it all, of course. It made him extremely happy that Lance cared enough to go out of his way to try to make their blossoming relationship perfect. It wasn’t really the type of thing he was into, but he went along with it to make Lance happy. And  _ boy _ did Lance always beam at the end of the date when Keith told him he’d had a good time. Going home with that smile on his mind always made it worth the trouble.

Like with most things, though, Keith had a breaking point. In this case, that point came in late June as they sat in Keith’s living room and Lance was attempting to make plans for the Fourth of July. They seemed to be getting increasingly more complex as Lance was allowed to continue talking, and it was wearing on Keith more and more.

“So once we’ve ridden all of the carnival rides twice, we can stop by the hot dog stand for dinner. I mean, if you’ve never had the firecracker frankfurter you haven’t  _ lived.  _ And that will take us right up to the time of the song and dance showcase and—”

“Babe,” Keith finally cut him off. This was just getting out of hand. 

Lance looked up from the paper he was scribbling his makeshift game plan on, “Whatsup?”

Keith closed his eyes and took a deep breath, “Can I maybe….plan the Fourth?”

Puppy eyes greeted him when he opened his eyes again. He had been expecting it, but it still hit him hard, “You don’t want to go to the carnival and get sick on cotton candy?”

“I mean...I wouldn’t mind….”  _ No, Keith, be strong. He has to hear no sometime.  _ “But I had something simpler in mind.”

Lance’s expression softened a bit, but Keith could still see a trace of disappointment, “Sure, babe. What were you thinking?”

“Well…”

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On the Fourth Lance showed up at Keith’s house just before 11. This was not according to Keith’s plan, which is why he opened the door in his pajamas, hair a mess, with a cup of coffee in his hand.

“Are you ready for our fun filled day?!” Lance was his usual, chipper self. Keith fought back a groan. Why did he go and fall for this idiot?

“Low-key is what I’m going for, actually,” he responded, but moved out of the way nonetheless. He didn’t bother inviting Lance in. They’d been together long enough that that was no longer necessary, “And no, I’m not ready yet. I said lunchtime.”

Lance flopped next to him on the couch and snuggled into his side, “Hmmm...close enough. It’s ok, babe, I can wait.”

“Thanks.”

Unfortunately for Keith, Lance’s “waiting” consisted of a lot of passive sighs and innocent sounding questions of how much coffee he had left. His peaceful morning was cut short only so that he wouldn’t have to endure that any longer. He knew Lance meant well, but he really had been hoping to sip his coffee in peace. Maybe watch some tv. Just relax during his morning off before his obligations.

As soon as he was dressed and presentable Lance was pulling him out the door and toward the park. The one thing Keith had compromised on was that they would get the Firecracker Frankfurters that Lance was so crazy about for lunch, and he was going to waste no time getting them there. With wieners in hand, they went for a stroll around the park, avoiding the carnival at Keith’s request. It was a hot day, but there was low humidity and a light breeze. With the added shade from the trees on the walking trails it was a pretty pleasant lunch. 

They stayed in the park for a few hours until it grew too uncomfortable to be outside. At this point they returned to Keith’s apartment to hang out in the air conditioning. They watched a couple cheesy Fourth of July films that were on the Hallmark channel, then they went into the kitchen to prepare dinner.

This was a tradition Keith had with his father when he was little. They would pack a picnic basket with goodies before setting off fireworks in the backyard. They would finish off the night with s’mores by a campfire while his dad played a beat up acoustic guitar and sang folk songs that Keith is now convinced were made up. But boy if it wasn’t a happy time.

With his currently available resources, some adjustments had to be made. First of all, there wasn’t a good way to make s’mores without having to pay for a campsite with a fire pit. He wasn’t going to do that, so those were out. He’d thought about getting a pack of those chocolate covered marshmallow cookies, but it really just wouldn’t be the same. Another thing that had to change were the fireworks. Living in an apartment building meant he didn’t have a space to set off their own, so he decided the city-sponsored fireworks in the park were their best bet. Luckily he knew a good spot where there shouldn’t be a lot of people.

With eating in the backyard, the picnic basket Keith shared with his dad was able to be filled with fried chicken, cole slaw, and corn on the cob. Going to the park meant needing to plan for food that didn’t take a lot of preparation or care. He’d gotten the fixings for some killer sub sandwiches and a couple types of chips instead, with a soda for each of them to drink. It wasn’t much of a dinner, but it would do. 

With their basket filled and a blanket in hand, the two boys set out to the park once again. This time, Keith led them around to the back of where the fireworks were being set up. He ducked into the trees just off the walking trail and navigated around until they reached a small cliff. It o relooked the park, and the trees parted in just the right place for the sky where the show would be to be visible.

Lance let out a low whistle, “Wow, Keith. You really thought this through. This place is awesome.”

Keith looked up from where he was setting up their picnic to see lance staring out over the park, “I….used to come here a lot. After I moved in with my foster family. It was a good place to escape to.”

Lance nodded in understanding. This was a topic they’d discussed in depth many times before. He knew better than to pick at the scab on such a nice day.

They ate their food as they chatted idly. Lance told stories of his shenanigans with Hunk and Pidge at school, while Keith complained about how rude customers can be when you’re just doing your best to keep their car running. Soon the food was finished and they laid back on the blanket together. Keith laid his head on Lance’s chest, and they watched the sky slowly darken from its usual blue to a canvas of pinks and oranges to a violet blue. 

“Thanks, Keith,” Lance said as the last rays disappeared under the horizon, “I’ll be honest, I didn’t think this was going to be a good date. It’s so simple, but...I loved it.”

Keith propped himself up on his elbows, “Why do you think I planned it, silly? Not everything has to be extravagant and cheesily romantic. Sometimes we can just...exist together, y'know?”

“Yeah,” Lance smiled softly as he reached up to brush Keith’s hair from his face. Then his hand snaked back around Keith’s neck, and Keith was pulled down into a kiss. 

It started out as a small brush of lips on lips, but soon Keith was adding more pressure as Lance tangled his fingers in Keith’s hair. His other hand snaked around his waist and rubbed small circles in his back. They stayed like this for quite some time, connected by soft touches and lingering kisses. In the back of his mind, Keith was aware of the exploding fireworks. They were missing the show, but he couldn’t bring himself to care.

When his lips just weren’t enough, Keith moved to kiss Lance’s face. His eyeliner, his cheek, his forehead, his neck. Never one to be outdone, Lance attempted to do the same with a mischievous smirk. This, unfortunately, resulted in Keith kissing Lance’s chin while Lance’s lips rested on his nose. They broke apart then, neither one of them able to contain their laughter. 

Keith smiled down at Lance, and noticed the final embers of the fireworks show dying out in his eyes. He could have been sad, but instead he was captivated by the sight. Not just the fireworks, but the shining, love-filled gaze that met his. The look in Lance’s eyes that told him he was loved and cherished, and that that wasn’t going away anytime soon.

This really was the best kind of date.


End file.
